Deceleration Training- Part 3

Deceleration is also plays a huge part in the agility component of an athletes' game.

Have you ever seen a high level athlete stop on a dime at full speed and then fluidly transition into a sharp cut right or left and then take off again?

In American football, Reggie Bush is a player that comes to mind.

In hockey, Pavel Bure,although he has since retired,was another player that could explode at full speed, hit the brakes and then accelerate to the side for a few strides, stop quickly again and then explode forward again.

Both players have/had that incredible ability to transition so smoothly but explosively from deceleration to acceleration and do it again laterally or diagonally.

Great balance obviously helps as does leg and hip strength and power. However, this type of training still needs to be implemented as early as possible, beginning at the youth level.

Drills such as the lateral hop/hold with progressions like hopping over a small 6'inch hurdle, to hopping onto or off of a low box(6'inch) and again holding for balance with weight absorbed into quads are great drills.

Next,a very good short agility braking drill is the Box drill. This drill emphasizes stopping and starting forward and backward/right and left in a small area,approximately 5 yds. each direction.

There are other drills that include a 10-15yd range (T- Drill) or some that emphasize a longer range (25 -50yds.) like a zig-zag drill.

The idea is the same but the emphasis is on braking and then accelerating over a longer distance either diagonally or linear right or left.

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